Spring-actuated release for clothes-wringers



E. B. STOCKING, DECD.

s. c. STOCKING, EXECUTRIX. 7

SPRING ACTUATED RELEASE FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. I917- 1,342,004. Patented une 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. B. STOCKING, DECD.

s. c. STOCKING, EXECUTRIX.

SPRING ACTUATED RELEASE FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, I917.

- Patented June 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

um'rso s'mrss EDGAR B. STOCKING, or WASHINGTON,

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; SARAH C, STOCKING EXEG'U'IRIX 0F SAID EDGAR B. STOCKING, DECEASED.

' SPBING-ACTUATED RELEASE FOR CLGTHES-WRINGERS.

Application filed March 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR B. STOCKING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columb1a, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Spring- Actuated Releases for Clothes-Ringers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. 7

This invention relates to clothes wringers and has for its primary object the provision of an automatic quick release of the pres sure means, by a. positively acting power that is independent of the power exerted by the main springs and of the movement of the movable roll of the wringer.

A further object is to provide novel means for resetting a pressure release automatically by the readjustment of the parts after a release of the pressure means.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description and the novel features are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front in vertical section, of a wringer embodying the invention, the rolls being under compression.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end .elevation showing a slightly modified form of resetting device, the pressure being released and h r Fig. 4. is a diagrammatic representation of the elements comprised in the positivel'y acting, independently power-actuated, pres sure release. r

Reference numbers indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings an ordinary wringer is shown comprising the usual frame composed of end standards 1 feed board 2, spring-l spacing board 3 and movable cross-bar 4, which together with the pressure screws 5. pressure or main springs 6, and bearing blocks 7, cooperating with a movable or upper roll 8 and fixed lower roll 9 are all of well known construction. The cross-bar 4 is held against the pressure of the main springs when produced by the pressure screws 5, by disengageable spring-hooks 10, depending from each end ofv the cross-bar and engaging with stops 11 and 12 upon Specification of Letters Patent.

' spring-hooks ployed toquickly elevation with parts rammed June 1, 1920.

1917. Serial No. 152.034.

the standards. Each spring-hook 10, in this instance, comprises a bar having a beveled lower, face 13 adapted to cooperate with a wedge to disengage the bar from the stops'lI when the pressure is to be released. The stops 11 and 12' have upper and lower beveled faces 14c-15 to facilitate reengagement of the hooks, and are connected, in this instance, by a bar 16 thus forming a single casting which is provided with alining pins 1717 that are driven into the standard whereby the said stops are securable to the standards by a single screw as shown in Fig. 1'. When the pressure of the main springs is released, it is clear that the 10 will catch against the upper stops 12 and prevent the cross-bar 1 from moving, ards 1. j v 1 It now remains to describe the means emrelease the pressure of the main springs, which is desired in case of feeding an abnormal thickness of clothes between the wringer rolls, or in case of an accidental injury to the hand of an operator.

A wedge-plate 18 slotted as'shown, to embrace the shafts of the upper and lower rolls, has at-its upper end a wedge 19 to cooperate with the bevel face 13 of the springhooks 10 and at its lower end'a bracket 20, having a depending-spring-plug 21, adapted to enter and guide a coiledspring 23. Flanged guides 22 are secured'to the face of the standard for assuring a practically rectilinear reciprocation of the wedge-plate when actuated as hereinafter described.

By reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 it will be seen that a recess is formed in the lower ends of the standard 1 in which the coiled spring 23 is held at its lower end by a screw threaded plug 24 while its upper end is retained and guided by the plug 21. The spring 23 is held under compression when the wedge-plate 18 is in its lower or nonoperative position as shown in Fig. 2 in which position the plate is held by means of a hook 25, pivoted upon the standard 1 and 7 having an'arm 26, projecting intothe path of the shaft of the movable roll 8, when-- ever said shaft and roll are forced away from the roll 9 by feeding an abnormal thickness of clothes or the accidental entrance of any other completely out ofthe stand.

article or the. hand of '18 as shown in Fig. 3, thus permitting the expansion of spring 23 to quickly force the wedge 19 under the bevel face 13 of the hook 10, thus releasing the cross-bar and after the pressure the cross-bar 4 is g fter resetting the its'coacting pressure means. Independent, power-actuated, release devices are provided on each of the standards 1.

The spring-plug 24 is slotted to permit its adjustment by a screw driver to varythe tension of spring 23 and the recess is closed by another similar plug 24. I

'In ordinary practice the pressure of the main sprin s 6 is approximately .60 to pounds at t e bite of the rolls 8 and 9 and any releasing means is more or less encumbered in its action by this excessiwe pressure actuated directly by the comparatively slow movement of the upper roll shaft and thelimited expansion of the stiffer and more rigid main springs. By the employment of an independent, quickly acting, and more expansible power, therelease of the pres sure is more easily and quickly effected. is to be understood that an independent ac tuating power relates to a mechanical force in contra-distinction to manual power.

It now remains to describe the means for automatically resetting the releasing means of the main springs has been released.

At any suitable point on'the spring-hook 10, for example the bar portion thereof, is movably connected, a resetting hook or lever 28,which is adapted to be moved into the path of the wedge-plate 18, or as shown in Fig. 3 into the path of a pin or projection 29 thereon, when said plate is at the limit of its upward movement so that when forced down to restore the pressure of the main springs, a" downward movement of the wedge-baris produced and extended a trifle below the point at which it is held bythe hook 25, in, order that said hook may move over and retain the wedgeplate in a reset position, either by the spring 27- -Fi'g. '2 or by the weight of the arm 26- wedge-plate by the le ver 28, it is removed from its operative position shown inFig. 3 to its inoperative position shown in Fig.2 by the following means. The lever 28 is provided with an angularly disposed. extension 30 whichby means of a spring 31, Fig. 2 or by means of two pins 33 Fig. 3,-acts to movethe lever 28 inwardly as the cross-bar 4 and spring-hook 10 move upwardly upon a release of pres- 7 sure and outwardly after a complete depression of the wedge-plate 18' is accomplished byJever 28.

A spring 27 may be provided the general principles of the invention. It

vto engage rolls, this operation occurring at each end of the wringer.

It is to be'observed that the opening of the Wedge bar is intentionally extended at its upper end to a point which cannot be reached by the shaft of the upper roll when the pressure is released in order to utilize a force that is independent of that of the main springs and that has a much greater expansion in effecting the release than the pressure of, the much stiffer and less expansible main springs. 2

While the foregoing description of the invention is more or less confined to details of construction in the form of the invention illustrated by the drawings, yet various changes in details, form and proportion of the parts and the substitution of equivalents may be made without a departure from is also apparent that the independent, separate power actuated release may be adapted for use in connection with a different pressure producing means than that herein shown and described. 7

l/Vhat I claim is: M

1. A clothes wringer having a pair of pressure rolls, pressure means for said rolls, a movable cross bar having detachable pressure maintaining means, a release for said maintaining means actuated by an independent motive power, and means for maintaining and releasing said motive power.

2. In a clothes wringer, a pair of pressure rolls, pressure means for said rolls, means for maintaining said pressure means in predetermined position, an automatic release actuated by an independent power adapted said pressure retaining means, and a release resetting means coacting with said pressure retaining means and said releasing means. I p

3. A clothes wringer comprising a frame having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls, means for normally holding 1 said pressure means in predetermined position, an automatic pressure release actuated movable pressure retaining member,an automatic release actuated by an independent power arranged to engage said pressure retaining member, and a release retaining member coacting with said pressure retaining member and with said release.

5. A clothes wringer having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls, a movable pressure retaining member, automatic releasing means for said retaining member, and a release resetting device actuated by said pressure retaining means.

6. In a clothes wringer having pressure rolls and pressure means therefor, a movable pressure retaining member, spring actuated releasing members arranged to engage said retaining means, resetting means and means for automatically rendering said resetting means operative and non-operative at different positions of said pressure retaining means relative to the different positions of said releasing means.

7. In a wringer having pressure rolls and pressure means therefor, a pressure release, means for resetting said release,- release retaining means, the resetting -means being timed to complete resetting the release retaining means after the same has completed its operation. 7

8. A clothes wringer, comprising pressure rolls having pressure means and pressure retaining means, a pressure release comprising a reciprocating wedge-plate adapted for engagement with said retaining means,

means for retaining said wedge-plate, a spring contacting with said plate for reciprocating the plate in one direction and a resetting device actuated by said pressure retaining means for reciprocating said plate in the opposite direction to be engaged by said retaining means.

9. A clothes wringer having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls, and a spring actuated pressure releasing device released by the abnormal separation of said rolls for releasing said pressure means.

10. A clothes wringer comprising a frame having pressure rolls and pressure means.

for said rolls, a movable pressure retaining member, a spring actuated pressure release adapted to engage the retaining member, means for normally holding said pressure release in predetermined position, means actuated by the abnormal separation of said rolls for releasing said release, and a release resetting device operatively connected with the pressure retaining means for re-setting' the same when the pressure retaining means 1s moved into normal posltlon.

11. A clothes wrmger comprislng a frame having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls, a movable pressure retaining member, a resetting device operatively connected with said member, a spring actuated reciprocating release adapted to engage said retaining member, means for holding said release in set position and means actuated by the abnormal separation of said rolls for releasing said release.

12. A clothes wringer comprising a frame having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls mounted therein, a top bar movably mounted in said frame having means for adjusting said pressure means, spring members carried by said top bar for holding said top bar in predetermined position within said frame, spring actuated members mounted on said frame coacting with said spring 'members to release said top bar, means for holding said spring actuated members under tension, and means actuated by the abnormal separation of said rolls for releasing said spring actuated members.

18. A clothes wringer comprising a frame having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls, means for holding said pressure means in predetermined position, spring actuated members mounted on said frame adapted to engage said pressure holding means, means for holding said spring actuated members under tension, and means actuated by the abnormal separation *of said rolls for releasing said spring actuated members to allow said members to releas said pressure retaining means.

14. A clothes wringer comprising a frame having pressure rolls and pressure means for said rolls mounted therein, a top bar movably mounted in said frame having means for adjusting said pressure means,

yielding members for holding said top bar ing said spring actuated members under tension, said holding means being actuated by the abnormal separation of said rolls.

In'testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of a witness.

EDGAR B. s'rocKINo.

E. ROSENBERG. 

